Modern computer applications are being operated more and more frequently in a cloud or cloud computing infrastructure. Reference is also made to cloud computing in this context.
Cloud computing may be an abstracted IT infrastructure in which the resources (e.g., computing capacity, data memory, network capacities) may be dynamically adapted to the resource requirement. This abstracted IT infrastructure may be accessed via a network.
In this case, an application is operated in a cloud using defined technical interfaces and protocols.
In the case of a cloud, the hardware is therefore not operated or provided by the user of an application. Rather, abstracted hardware is hired from one or more cloud providers as a service that may also be geographically remote, for example. The user's applications and data are then no longer on the local computer or in a corporate computing center but rather in the cloud.
The cloud may be accessed via a network (e.g., the Internet). A cloud may also be operated by a company, for example, as a private cloud in which the abstracted IT infrastructure may be reached via a network (e.g., an intranet, belonging to the company).
Since abstracted hardware is provided in a cloud, the number of resources (e.g., memory or computing power) of the abstracted hardware may be requested or additionally requested as required and within the scope of the existing actual infrastructure.
In this case, provision is not made to control the execution of an application in the cloud. For example, applications that may be enabled for operation only for a particular computer may be installed in a virtual system. After installation, this virtual system may be copied or “cloned” any desired number of times in a cloud.